1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
The electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium by use of the electrophotographic image forming system. The term "electrophotographic image forming apparatus" includes, for example, an electrophotographic copying apparatus, an electrophotographic printer (such as a laser beam printer or an LED printer), a facsimile apparatus and a word processor.
Also, the process cartridge has cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member integrally made into a cartridge which is removably mountable onto a main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Also, in addition to the cleaning means, at least charging means or developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge which is removably mountable onto the main body.
2. Related Background Art
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying apparatus or a laser beam printer has, for example, a photosensitive drum, and known processes such as charging, exposure and development are successively carried out for this photosensitive drum to thereby form a toner image thereon, and the image is transferred onto a recording medium such as transfer sheet. Then, the step of removing any toner remaining on the photosensitive drum by a cleaning device is carried out, and an image is formed.
In such an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, in recent years, the process cartridge system has been widely adopted to facilitate the compactness and maintenance of the apparatus. This process cartridge system is a system wherein a photosensitive drum and process means acting thereon, such as charging means, developing means and cleaning means, are integrally made into a cartridge which is removably mountable onto the main body by a user himself.